The University of Northampton Archive
General Rules
1.
The Search Room is only open for research and consultation of records during
the advertised opening hours.
2.
Please hang up your coat or any other outer garment if wet, on the stand
provided at the entrance, or use the lockers provided. The archive can accept
no responsibility for the safe custody of readers’ coats, handbags or other
personal property.
3.
All users must register as a user before they can consult our records. This
involves completion of a registration card and will require users to provide
proofs of identity and address.
4.
Users are required to sign the Visitors Book on every visit.
5.
In the interest of other users, noise must be kept to a minimum.
Mobile
phones should be switched off or placed on silent mode. No telephone calls
should be made inside the search room without the permission of archive
staff.
6.
No food or drink (including sweets or gum) should be consumed in any part of
the search room. Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the premises.
7.
Users must ensure that their hands are clean before consulting records.
8.
Copyright restrictions apply. Records are available for reference only and may
not be borrowed or removed from the search room.
9.
Only pencils and computers may be used for taking notes. The use of pens,
adhesives, erasers or computer scanning devices is forbidden anywhere in the
search room.
10.
All copies are made at the discretion of staff.
Staff must carry out any
photocopying. Please note that the physical condition of an item or current
copyright law may prohibit copying.
Charges for copying will be made in
accordance with the table of fees displayed in the Search Room.
The University of Northampton Archive
11.
Digital photography is permitted at the discretion of staff but flash
photography is not permitted under any circumstances.
12.
Records are to be handled with care and in line with the Specific Rules for
Handling Records.
13.
No more than four records can be requested by any user at any one time. It is
up to the archive staff’s discretion about how may of these records will be
produced for consultation in the search room at any one time. This is to avoid
mixing paper between files.
14.
The archive reserves the right to withhold from production any document or
class of document subject to current legal requirements.
Specific Rules for Handling Records
15.
Records must not be marked or defaced in any way
16.
Users must not lean on or place things on top of documents and records.
17.
Notes must not be made when the notepaper or notebook is lying on a record.
(Notes should only be made away from the record).
18.
Users must not touch or mark the text of records in any way.
19.
Users must protect the records by using any provided book supports, weights
or cotton gloves as directed to by staff. Users should avoid putting strain on
the spine of open books and volumes.
20.
Users must not try to force documents to open or lie flat – staff must be
consulted to assist with any difficulty
21.
Users must not leave books and other volumes lying face down
22.
Users must not mark a place in a book or other volume with anything other
than a strip of paper (these markers must be removed before the record is
returned).
The University of Northampton Archive
23.
Users must ensure that files are returned with the pages in the order in which
they were received.
Additional Statement of Rules
24.
Any user not complying with these Rules or who behaves in an inappropriate
manner can be deprived of the privilege of access to the records. The archive
reserves the right to refuse or withdraw access at their discretion.
25.
Signature of the visitor’s book implies acceptance of the foregoing regulations
numbered 1-25. The Visitors Book will be used only for administrative and
statistical purposes, and will be retained for seven years after completion.